Coach Butler ready for U-17 qualifiers

Head coach of the under-17 Reggae Boyz, Altimont ‘Freddie’ Butler, said the upcoming Concacaf Men’s U-17 Qualifiers present the perfect platform for his players to showcase their talent in a bid to earn Jamaica’s first appearance at the age-group World Cup since 2011.

The young Reggae Boyz have been drawn in Group H of the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers alongside El Salvador, the Cayman Islands and St Lucia. The competition is set to start in February 2025.

The tournament will be used as qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar with each group winner advancing to the age-group World Cup.

The tournament will also be the first under its new format. The Concacaf Qualifiers previously had a knockout round after the group stages, this new format will only include one round of group play.

The schedule will also switch to being hosted annually instead of biennially to align with the U-17 World Cup’s new annual schedule set to begin in 2025.

Butler is pleased with the draw and welcomes the challenge set ahead of him and his team.

“We’re excited about our draw in Group H for the 2025 Concacaf Under-17 Qualifiers,” he said. “Competing against El Salvador, Cayman Islands, and St Lucia presents a great opportunity for our young talents to showcase their skills in highly competitive environments.

“These three matches are crucial stepping stones toward qualifying for the U-17 World Cup, and we’re fully committed to our preparation and ready to make our mark on this tournament.”

Jamaica will enter their group with the early tags of favourites as they have been drawn from Pot One as the highest ranked team in the group.

They are expected to face stern opposition from El Salvador, who enters as the second ranked team in the group and just one place below Jamaica in the overall regional rankings.

However, unlike Jamaica, El Salvador are yet to qualify for the U-17 World Cup. Jamaica have qualified for the U17 World Cup twice, in 1999 and 2011.